I Caught Myself
by soundandtaste
Summary: Two kids meet over the Holiday Season. Feelings develop, but both of them think they'll never see each other again in the future. Or will they? Hoennshipping or BrendanXMay.
1. One

**I Caught Myself**

**ONE**

"Brendan, dear!" A grayish white-haired woman screeched from the first floor of a welcoming home. A similarly grayish white-haired young boy smiled and ran down the wooden steps of the stairs. "Coming, mom!"

It was Christmas. The traditional Christmas tree was decorated in their home, shedding its light and beauty upon every being in its presence. The home-made Christmas ornaments graced the tree magnificently, and small, blinking Christmas lights were tied around its branches. Beneath the tree were gifts and presents of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Little Brendan's ruby red eyes sparkled as he gazed upon the presents, his eyes searching for gifts people had given him.

The fireplace had a cozy fire in it, and his sister Aiden was snuggled before the flames. Above the fireplace, Christmas stockings were hung, preferably stuffed with candy canes and chocolates from his aunt abroad. She sent things like these annually. Overall, the house was decorated fully for the occasion, and this made Brendan feel warm and content deep inside.

Brendan ran towards the kitchen where he found his mother shaping cookie dough through the means of a cookie cutter. She turned her sights from her work to her six-year-old son, a smile slowly brightening up her flawless face.

"Hi mom!" Brendan hollered, sitting in one of the kitchen table chairs.

"Hi honey. You want to help out with the cookies before you open your presents?" she asked, her mind convinced that he wanted to help bake cookies…and to no surprise, the little boy nodded his head yes, a larger smile appearing on his face at the mention of the word "presents."


	2. Two

**I Caught Myself**

**TWO**

A six-year old girl turned her sights to the outside of a window in the corner to see the snowflakes fall from the sky unto the thick blanket of snow already covering the grassy ground. She sighed.

Another Christmas without the joy and warmth of a family.

She pulled the fingerless gloves on her hands up and watched her feet for a few seconds. They were protected by black boots which had a few holes in them, most likely at the soles. Looking at the overall clothes this girl wore, one would pity her. Yes. She was always pitied, but never helped.

"May, are you still up for caroling? I think if we go to town square, we can get a lot from the visitors." Another girl about her age asked. May nodded, though deep in her heart she was screaming the opposite. 'We'll get nothing. It's Christmas. Nobody's there. They're all at home, celebrating.'

But what if there were people in town? May had to consider this thought.

Nicola smiled, running towards the coat rack beside the door. She pulled a used purple scarf down unto her level, seeing as the coat rack was much taller than her. May smirked, tugging on the red scarf tied around her neck. Nicola turned the doorknob and ran out of their room. May followed, running as fast as she could. They were kids. You can't blame them.

They ran down the hallway and down the stairs. They ran past other orphans and towards the large room where an old lady in a rocking chair was positioned in front of the fireplace. She was gazing at the flames before she noticed that the girls were parked beside her rocker.

"Now, what are you two up to?" The old lady asked, a warm smile plastered on her face.

"We're going to go caroling, Miss. We promise we won't be long." May answered enthusiastically.

"Well, that's right. I don't want you girls to miss the Christmas dinner we're preparing for you kids." The woman replied sweetly, before nodding at them and sending them off to go caroling. This was practically routine for May and Nicola. They would go off somewhere to beg for alms, and what they would get they would give to the orphanage. After all, the orphanage is the only place that took them both in.

May and Nicola giggled and rushed out the door, turning every which way for town square.


	3. Three

**I Caught Myself**

**THREE  
**

"Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches…" May and Nicola sung in perfect harmony. They were in behind a large department store which was still open. Yes, you guessed it. It was the Lilycove Department Store. Every year, the children would push their luck and carol behind the store, because most of the employees who would exit there would give them spare change.

The girls sang a little louder, trying to catch the attention of whoever was inside.

* * *

A while back, Brendan and his mom were on their way to the Department Store to buy chocolate and sprinkles to coat the cookies with. Brendan's mom had gotten so busy with Christmas shopping and decorating the house that she's forgotten to buy complete ingredients for the cookies. The last time she went shopping, the stores had already run out of the ingredients, and she had to wait for them to stock up once more.

They were now in front of the Department Store, whose glass double-doors opened automatically once Brendan hurriedly jumped on the black mat covering the electronics which were used to signal the doors that there were people, and that they needed to open up or else. Stepping on this mat had become a great joy of Brendan's childhood.

Delia smiled at her little boy, as she casually entered the Department Store once he ran in. Brendan directed his mother towards the path to the small Grocery Store on the ground floor, which was never expected because everybody thought the Lilycove Department Store was only a Department Store.

A little later, Delia was already picking out the ingredients she needed to finish the Christmas cookies. Brendan wandered over to the candies and noticed a door beside the wooden cabinet. He walked towards it and rested his ear on the door, hearing faint Christmas carols from outside. Being a curious little boy, he pulled the metal lever and heard the faint voices grow into loud voices. He kept the door open with his strength, as he watched the girls in the freezing cold, trying to sing their lungs out.

When they had finished the song, Brendan smiled and grew speechless. "Uh, hi."

"Hi." Nicola uttered. May stood there and gazed at Brendan. He noticed this and blushed red, but he decided to hide this.

"Uhm, you guys sing really well." Brendan answered, at a total loss for words.

"Thanks, but we're not guys, and our singing costs. You know, give us some breads." Nicola retorted sassily, May not moving a muscle.

"Breads?" Brendan asked, one of his eyebrows way up on his forehead.

"You know, cough up the dough."

"Oh, sorry. You're talking about food. If you want, you can go in here, and you can take all the _breads_ you want."

May laughed at this statement, but Nicola just grunted. "May, you talk to this guy."

May nodded shyly, as if she didn't want to ask money from this young stranger. Well, he wasn't really that young for her, because they were practically the same age. "What she means is, you know, if you have any spare change…?"

"Oh!" Brendan replied in an outburst. He smiled at May, and at that moment, her heart started pumping fast. This rarely happens to her, since she barely had any adrenaline rushes. Before you knew it, her face was painted red.

Brendan inserted his right hand into one of his shorts' pockets, searching around for the money his grandmother gave him before they went to the store. She said he should buy himself something nice, but it wouldn't hurt to give a little of it, wouldn't it? After all, it was a full five-dollar bill. He had change in his pocket, though.

He took all the coins from his pocket and handed it to May. "Here you go."

"Thanks…" May smiled, pocketing the money. "This is the most we get from our caroling. I hope you know how much this means."

"Oh, I do. My mom always told me to give on Christmas." Brendan reasoned.

"Brendan!" He heard his mother call out from inside the store.

"Oh, that's my mom. I gotta go now, May. It was nice meeting you." Brendan said childishly, waiting for feedback before he let go of the door.

"Okay. Merry Christmas. And to your mom, too." May bid. At that, Brendan gently closed the door and trekked off to his mother. He had a wide smile and a red face, but he thought that it was all worth it.


	4. Four

**I Caught Myself**

**FOUR**

_Eight years later._

May was taken into a family at age eight. She's fourteen now, and they just moved to Littleroot from Lilycove.

"May, dear! We're here!" May's mother called from outside the moving truck. She pulled the doors toward herself which revealed all their furniture and random things, all packed in boxes and wrapped in some sort of thin plastic to shield them from dust and grime.

May groggily stepped out of the moving truck, one of her hands covering her mouth appropriately. "Mom…"

"Yes, hun?" She asked her adopted daughter as she marveled at the house standing right in front of her.

"Don't ever make me travel in the moving truck…" May answered, running inside the house and making use of the toilet before anyone else did. The whole journey from Lilycove had been bumpy in the truck, and May got dizzier and dizzier by the second. Finally, she gave up here in Littleroot.

* * *

"Brendan, do come with me to the Neighbor's house? They just moved in, and I want to give them a welcoming present." Delia told Brendan, fussing around in the kitchen. Brendan stood and walked towards his busy mother, picking up a wooden spoon and dipping it in the cookie batter. He lifted it from the thick liquid and tasted it.

"Mom, this is the best batch of cookies you've ever made. What are these?" Brendan asked.

"They're my regular chocolate chip cookies. I just decided to change the recipe a bit."

"Oh…well, see ya later, then." Said Brendan, dashing towards the door.

"Hold it, mister!" Delia screeched, bringing Brendan to a halt. He was already by the door then, and he was positioned to turn the doorknob. "You're not going anywhere. You're coming with me, and we're meeting with the new neighbors."

Brendan turned around and sighed. "Don't worry mom, I'm going to meet with them right now. I'm just gonna beat you to it."

Delia smiled at him and nodded, letting Brendan go to his destination. The Maples' house.

Brendan stepped outside, stretching his arms up as he looked to his right and found a moving truck parked in front of the once-empty house. He watched as the Machoke unloaded boxes from the truck and loaded them into the house. A middle-aged man stood beside the truck to supervise. Brendan ignored this and entered the house. Well, why not? The door was open, anyway.

"Helloooo?" Brendan asked, stopping just beside a coat rack. Mrs. Maple peeked out of the kitchen and noticed him. She dropped the utensils she was wiping with a white cloth a few seconds ago and rushed towards the living room.

"Why, hello, dear."

"Uhm, hi. I'm Brendan Birch…you must be Mrs. Maple?" Brendan asked, unsure of what to say.

"Yes, that's right. Oh! You're William's son?"

"Yes, ma'am. My mom sent me here to greet you. She said she'll be here a little later."

"Is that so? Then Brendan, do you mind staying here to wait for your mom?"

"I don't, ma'am. I'd love to sit here and wait…" Brendan answered, a little too doubtfully. 'Yeah, who wouldn't love sitting and waiting?' He frowned, the thought not fully fading away from his mind as he found a chair and sat on it.

* * *

May groaned, trying to act strong for this new town. She looked herself down and sighed, noticing the hint of wetness around her collar. She had been sweating heavily because of nausea. She ran down the stairs, screaming for her mother. "Mom! Mom, where'd they put my freaking suitcase?! My closet's still not in my room!"

Her speed picked up, and because of the angry thoughts floating around her head, she hadn't noticed the box by the staircase. She took one more hurried step and tripped, her fall causing her to wince in pain. Brendan noticed this and held in a laugh. He picked himself up and walked towards May.

"You _really_ should be more careful," Brendan said, his smile gigantic. May looked at him grumpily, taking his hand as support for her to stand up.

"And who are _you_?" She asked, brushing the dust away from her apparel.

"I'm Brendan Birch. I live next door."

"Oh." Escaped May's lips. She was at a loss for words, as she stared deep into his ruby red eyes. She caught herself doing so, and she shook her head violently, looking down at the ground. Their hands were still gripped.

Brendan shook hands with her, noticing that it had been awkward that they were still holding hands at that point.

"What about you?" Brendan asked, finally letting go of her hand. He realized that this wasn't the kind of formal introduction he always had with new acquaintances.

"Huh?" May asked, dazed and frozen in her spot.

"What's your name?" Brendan asked, the childish question ringing in May's ear.

"What's it to you?!" May retorted, trying to hide her extraordinary antics from this stranger.

"Well, we're neighbors. Wouldn't it be weird if I saw you everyday and I'd go, 'Hey, Whatsername, hi!'?" Brendan answered, trying to think of a better statement than that.

May cocked an eyebrow up at him. "I'm May. May Maple. Now, if you'll excuse me, Brendon, I have to go look for my clothes."

"It's Brendan." Brendan corrected.

"Whatever!" May huffed, storming off to the kitchen to see her mother. This had been awkward for her. Her heart had begun to beat madly in her chest, and she was blushing wildly, though she was trying to control this. She glanced at the hand she used to shake with and sighed. This was something different…but it was so familiar.


	5. Five

**I Caught Myself**

**FIVE  
**

Delia entered the house carrying a plateful of cookies. Brendan was already relaxed on the sofa, tinkering with some sort of device Delia didn't understand quite fully. She looked at her son and glared at him. He looked up from his game and looked at his mother in curiosity.

"Brendan, don't play with video games, again. You always do this." Delia complained, snatching the handheld from him. Brendan looked up at her in disbelief.

"Well, what do you want me to do, then?!" Brendan whined, his thoughts glued to the game he was just about to finish without interruption. Delia smiled, contented.

"I want you to do something else. I don't care what it is. Just do something productive."

"Oh, like what?" Brendan asked, a hint of annoyance in his tone. Delia smiled as she rested the platter on the glass table in front of Brendan.

"Let me think…" She said, her head turned to see the plate of cookies. She smiled with delight. "You can carry these cookies to the kitchen while I go see Mrs. Maple,"

"So it's come to this, mom…" Brendan sighed. Delia looked at him concerned. He was getting teary.

"What is it, Brendan dear?"

Brendan hesitated before he could utter one more word, but he did it anyway. "I'm just your plate-carrying, lazy, video game-loving, son. How could time change your view of me?"

Delia looked at her son and huffed. "Brendan, quit that act. Acting has never become your talent, and I'm not a sap to fall for that."

Brendan laughed. "I was only kidding!"

"Yes, and you're hilarious." Delia said sarcastically. She usually had petty fits like this with her son, and she loved them. Brendan smiled as he led his mom into the Maples' kitchen. Delia's eyes went looked in every direction until it landed on Mrs. Melissa Maple. She smiled and went to talk to her, while Brendan found another empty seat by the kitchen table. He gladly took it, and he didn't notice the grumpy May Maple was seated across the table from him.

He folded his arms in front of him and rested his chin on them. He looked up at May and smiled. "Hi May."

May tried to ignore this, but he was smiling so sheepishly. May looked at him in an annoyance. "What?"

"Nothing," Brendan answered, closing his eyes. His sheepish smile still not erased from his expression.

"Look, Brandon, I can't stand to waste any time here, so if you've got nothing to---" May explained, Brendan cutting her off.

"It's Brendan." Brendan corrected, a deep sigh following soon after. "Can't you get it right?"

"I can, and I don't really care if you're Brandon or Brendon or Brendan," She retorted. Brendan shook his head.

"If you can, why do you keep getting it wrong? It's simple. B-R-E-N---"

"I know how it's spelt!"

"Okay, then call me by my name. Not Brendon _or_ Brandon,"

"Alright, if it'll keep you off my back, then_ fiiiine_. Brendan. You happy?" May asked, her annoyance shielding something Brendan couldn't decode.

"Yes," He answered contently, closing his eyes once more. May glanced at him, her expression growing lighter. Everything was quiet except for the two women by the stove, chatting.

"You're an idiot." She laughed, her eyes drowning into Brendan. Brendan opened his eyes and looked at him. She was amused he was taking this so lightly.

"I've heard that too many times before," Brendan answered, a light smile appearing on his face. He closed his eyes again, and it seemed like he was reminiscing. One of May's eyebrows were high up on her forehead.

"If you have, then it must be true,"

"I've heard it only as a joke," Brendan reasoned. "Look, why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you. I can't hate you, we've only just met." May answered. "I'm just giving you a little hint of what'll happen when you mess with me."

"I haven't even messed with you, yet."

"Oh, you think so, huh?" May replied. "What about earlier today?"

"What?"

"You know, when I tripped over the box. You were trying soooo hard to keep yourself from bursting out in laughter."

"But I didn't laugh, and that's what's important."

May thought about this, her lips forming a crooked line. She looked at Brendan from the corner of her eye and noticed the cheeky smile etched on his face. He was truly acting like a gentleman for her, it only wasn't so evident.

"Fine. You win this round." May answered. Brendan smiled, peering at her innocently.

"I didn't know we were in a competition, May Maple." Brendan replied casually. May's eyebrows met at the middle.

"You better thank God you're good looking." May whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing." May answered, blushing slightly. She caught herself again.


	6. Six

**I Caught Myself**

**SIX  
**

"Mom, I'm just gonna go out for a walk," Brendan said, pecking his mother on the cheek. It was roughly 6:50pm, and it was already dark.

"Okay, honey. Just come back in time for dinner." Delia smiled. Brendan nodded and walked towards the table where he and May had been seated for about an hour.

"May, you wanna come with me? I can show you around town." Brendan offered. May looked up at him and shot him a glare.

"If it's with you, then no thanks."

"Fine." Brendan answered, retrieving his offer. Melissa looked back at May with a look of annoyance. Brendan was about to disappear out of the house, when Melissa called him back.

"Brendan, I think what May meant is that she'll love to go with you." Melissa sweetly said. Brendan glanced at May, then back to Melissa.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Maple, but I think she was pretty clear with what she wanted," Brendan answered.

"Yeah, mom. I was pretty clear." May whined. Melissa shook her head.

"May, go. Tour with Brendan. You might find some friends or something along the way. It'll be fun." Melissa reasoned.

"But, moooom…"

"No buts, young lady. Go," Melissa said strongly, the words picking May up from her seat and forcing her to march towards the coat rack. She tugged on a jacket and slipped it on before storming out of the house infuriated.

Brendan stepped through the doorway and closed the door gently. He looked at May, keeping a straight face. "You know, you can always just stay here if you don't want to go."

May kept silent, her arms folded below her chest. Brendan sighed. "Okay,"

Brendan started lurching off in another direction, ignoring the fact that he left May in front of her house. It was no problem, anyway. If she had any dilemmas, she could just go running back home. But no. Instead, Brendan looked back and saw May coming after him.

"Brendan! How could you just leave me there?!" May asked, her tone picking up volume.

"Well, you were being so difficult,"

"Difficult?"

"Well, yeah." Brendan answered. May cooled down. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"_Sorrrryyy_," She retorted. Brendan cocked an eyebrow at her.

"That's all?"

"We've only just met. What else do you want me to say?"

"Well, at least say it right."

"Okay then. Brendan, I'm sorry. Are you happy now?" May asked, sick of all this repetition.

"Mildly." Brendan answered, continuing his pace. May followed.

"Where are we going?" May asked.

"To my dad's lab." Brendan answered.

* * *

"Hi dad!" Brendan smiled, his hand resting on one of Professor Birch's shoulders. Professor Birch took his eyes off of work and marveled at his son.

"Hi Brendan," He uttered, prying the lab goggles away from his face.

"We're at the Maples'. Dinner's almost ready, and I wanted to ask if you're joining us," Brendan replied. Professor Birch took a look behind Brendan and found May there, a blank expression on her face.

"Oh, tell your mom I'm going to be there." He smiled. "Hello, young lady."

May shook her head slightly and stepped away from behind Brendan, carefully revealing herself to the professor.

"Uhm, hello sir," May replied. Professor Birch studied her for a few seconds before the thought established in his mind.

"You're Norman's daughter, aren't you?" He announced. May nodded, but hesitated.

"Well, I'm not his _real_ daughter, but…" She uttered. Brendan seemed to notice this, which raised curiosity, but William didn't seem to hear it.

"I should have known. I've seen you in the pictures," William answered. "Tell your father I'll see him soon,"

"I would, sir, but…he's not at home right now," May answered quietly. This fact disturbed William for some reason.

"Oh. Why ever not?"

"We moved here so he can work in a gym. He's in Petalburg right now, sir."

"Oh. That Norman. Always off doing his training." William answered, followed by a hearty laugh. May laughed at some distance in time too.

Brendan shifted his weight from his right foot to his left. "Okay, dad. We gotta go. I promised mom we won't be too long, and that we'd get there before dinner."

"Okay, son. Tell her that I'll be in just a little while," Professor Birch added, before waving his hand towards the door from where they entered earlier. Brendan and May stepped out of the lab and stood there silently for a while. A cool breeze hit their faces as they stood in silence.

"So, what now?" May asked, her voice as mellow as the still night.

"Let's go back to your house. I can take you to tour the town early tomorrow, if you're up to it." Brendan offered. May nodded her head.

"What's up, May? You've suddenly become so quiet," Brendan asked.

"It's nothing," May answered, the same quiet tone being used. Brendan thought back and remembered what she had said earlier.

"I remember. What did you mean by _you're not Norman's real daughter_?" Brendan asked, trying to be gentle with this fragile, emotional girl.

"Nothing. It's nothing," May replied.

"It can't be nothing. Come on, tell me." Brendan answered, gripping her arm strongly yet gently.

May sighed. "Fine,"

Brendan stood there with an idiotic smile on his face. May rolled her eyes and stared in a different direction.

"I said that because…well…because I'm just adopted," May answered. Brendan's eyes widened in disbelief. She took her eyes off of him and stared into the pitch blackness. "They adopted me when I was eight. My mom wanted a child of her own, but she couldn't be impregnated, so…"

Brendan looked at her in awe, still silent. This silent gave May comfort for some reason. "I'm just glad that they took me in. When they brought me into their family, I was so happy. It wouldn't be like those colder days I've seen for years before they took me."

"Do you have any idea who your real parents are?" Brendan asked. May shook her head, trying to stop bitter tears from streaming down her face, but to no avail. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she closed her eyes. She felt his fingers wipe away some of the fresher tears, and she felt warmer for some reason. She felt his arms envelope her into a comforting embrace. This made a tint of red appear on her face.

"I'm sorry about that. It must have been tough to live like that," Brendan offered. May nodded her head, feeling her lips curve up.

"But I was able to get through it. That should warn you not to mess with me. I learned a few things from my experiences," Brendan laughed, pulling away from her. That was more than enough to comfort an emotionally disturbed girl. But something in him craved for more. He was unconditionally drawn to her.


	7. Seven

**I Caught Myself**

**SEVEN**

"Brendan, May's here!" Delia yelled from outside Brendan's room, knocking wildly. Brendan groaned. This wasn't the first time his mom woke him up with uppercut hits and combos to his wooden door. He scratched his lower back and jumped up from bed, running a hand through his grayish white hair. He slipped his sweatband on and opened the door.

"What is it, mom?" Brendan asked. Delia smiled.

"May's here. She said you told her that you'd tour her around town today,"

Brendan was taken back to what his mother said. He remembered that he did tell May that he'd take her to see town that day. He nodded his head. "Mom, tell her that I'll only be a few minutes. I have to take a shower and change, so…"

"Okay, okay. She's still sipping coffee downstairs. You hurry up, my boy," Delia explained, smiling sweetly at her son. He nodded his head and closed the door behind him. Delia shook her head and smiled.

"He's growing up," she uttered, before she disappeared downstairs.

Delia walked slowly, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist. She spotted May seated on the sofa, flipping the pages of a photo album. She crept closer to her and sat on the empty seat beside her.

She glanced at the photo she was marveling at. It was of Brendan in his boyhood. He was wearing the Christmas sweater his grandma knit for him before the Holidays. Delia smiled.

"His grandma knit him that sweater," She said, a dainty finger pointed at the dressed young boy.

May smiled, strangely, she was blushing. "It looks great on him,"

"I know," Delia smiled, a short sigh followed. "He grew up so fast,"

May giggled a little. After a few minutes, Brendan was already stepping down the stairs and marveling at them. He smiled. "May, you ready to go?"

May looked up from the photo album and nodded. "Yeah,"

Brendan nodded in agreement. Delia smiled. "Now you two. Be home before dark, okay?"

"I always get home before dark, mom," Brendan answered, opening the door. May excused herself from Delia and rested the picture album on the empty space she was once seated. May bid goodbye to Delia and followed Brendan outside.

May found Brendan stretching his arms outside. She studied him before she decided that she wanted to talk to this guy. "So, Brendan, where are we going?"

Brendan turned around to look at her. A question mark appeared in his mind as he thought. "I don't know. You wanna head over to the café for some breakfast first?"

May nodded her head. "Sure, I haven't had any breakfast. Mom's on a high fiber diet,"

Brendan laughed. "Okay, my treat."

May smiled at this statement, following Brendan to the path towards this so-called café.

The whole walk towards the café had been silent. Brendan hadn't said a word to her, and May just followed him quietly, watching his every move. There were only a few people that they met with on the way, but both of them ignored the people.

Brendan stopped walking in front of a small building beside the road. A sign read "L'amore Café." The name came strange to May, like it was in another language. And it was. Brendan took hold of the door and pulled it, letting May enter first. She smiled and took his offer, entering the cozy little building.

Inside, there were people at colored glass tables talking and sipping coffee. Some of them were eating breakfast, while others were still ordering. Brendan followed May into the café, his eyes roaming around the room. Brendan smiled to himself, leading May towards a table at the far corner of the small building. It stood beside a window which had the view of the path they took to get there.

May admired the trail, ignoring the man dressed in the café waiters' uniform. He placed a laminated piece of paper in front of Brendan. Brendan smiled and took it, taking a peek at the food and prices. The waiter gave May a menu as well. He placed it in front of her. May turned around and took it, reading the same things Brendan was reading.

"I'll have your special omelet, Freddie. And a brewed coffee," Brendan ordered, handing the waiter the menu. The waiter nodded.

"I should have known, Brendan. That's your usual order," He smiled. May looked at them for a few moments, and the thought that they were friends established in her brain. Freddie turned to May and looked at Brendan with a sheepish smile on his face. Brendan took this as a sign, and he shook his head madly. Freddie cocked an eyebrow and faced May once more.

"What will you have, Miss?" Freddie asked, his notepad out and ready. May looked at him.

"Actually, I think I'll have what Brendan's having. The special omelet. But make the brewed coffee Oran juice, please." May answered, resting the menu on the table. Freddie nodded and took both of the menus. He retreated to the kitchen and left Brendan and May alone.

May eventually got bored of watching the lonely trail and decided to examine the people in the café. She noticed that most of them were couples, young and old, some in their late twenties. She smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" Brendan asked, trying to look at what May was gazing at. May giggled and waved her hand at a couple feeding each other with the use of a spoon. Brendan raised an eyebrow at her.

"So they're feeding each other. What's the big deal?" Brendan asked.

"You're a guy, I don't expect you to get it." May answered, wrapping her arms around herself. Brendan turned his head to look at her.

"Come on. You can make me get it."

May returned his stare and smiled. "Have you ever felt like that for anyone?"

Brendan glanced over his shoulder and found the couple again. Then he returned his sights back to May and shook his head. "No."

May frowned. Brendan noticed this and decided to return the question. "Have you?"

May quietly looked at Brendan and nodded her head. "It was eight years ago. Christmas. I wasn't adopted yet back then, and me and one of my orphanage friends went caroling to see if we could get anything. We went caroling to the Lilycove Department Store, and this guy…he gave us profit. He had the smile that melted my heart, and the ruby red eyes that simply dazzled me,"

Brendan's eyes widened in shock.


	8. Eight

**I Caught Myself**

**EIGHT**

It has officially been a week since May saw Brendan. This worried this deeply. Did she make the mistake of saying that? She knew all too clearly that Brendan was the guy. Her first crush.

_May took a seat on the sofa and sipped from the coffee Delia had offered her earlier. She looked around their cozy home and smiled. Delia had just left her to tell Brendan that she was already there. May sighed._

_A photo album was seated in front of her. It was opened, and May decided that it wouldn't hurt to look. She picked it up in her hands and flipped the pages. There were pictures of the William-Delia Nuptial, and of Brendan's birth. She laughed heartily, scanning the thick pages for any more photos of Brendan in his boyhood._

_She stopped at a page which said "Christmas 2000." This caught her attention. Eight years ago. She smiled, looking at the pictures of Delia and Aiden, who, May hasn't seen yet. This made May curious about the whereabouts of the teenage girl wearing brown hair similar to William's. She glanced at a photo of William with three Pokeballs for Christmas. She surveyed the photo album and found a picture of Brendan at six years old. What she saw had shocked her to the point of embarrassment._

May sighed deeply, closing her eyes. She was plopped down by a grassy hill at the outskirts of Littleroot, underneath a shady tree and far from wild Pokemon. It was nearing a body of water, which helped her calm down a little bit. She stared out into the horizon and watched the sun set once more on this beautiful, yet empty, day. May stood up and turned around, taking one last look at the beauty and the serenity Littleroot town has brought her. She jumped down the hill and ran back towards her house, when…

**BUMP!  
**

"Oww," A voice winced in pain. "You really are a klutz, aren't you May?"

May smiled, rubbing her forehead. She had dreamt of seeing this person again for a week. "Sorry, Brendan."

Brendan looked at May and stopped rubbing his forehead. He smiled at her and shook her head. "You_ really_ have to be more careful,"

May nodded her head shyly. "So, where have you been all week?"

"I've been out training, of course." Brendan laughed with pride. "Where else should I be?"

May looked at him, bewildered. "You're a trainer?"

Brendan nodded. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't notice, and I was too embarrassed to ask anyone where you were, or what happened to you, or, or…"

Brendan smirked. "Relax. You probably just missed me, didn't you?"

May flushed and shook her head rapidly to hide it. "OF COURSE NOT!"

Brendan narrowed his eyes at her and nodded, not believing a single word. "_Suuuure_ you didn't,"

"And what do you mean by that?!"

"Nothing. I meant nothing." Brendan smirked. May nodded her head.

"Yeah, _riiiight_." May retorted. Brendan smiled at her. No longer a smirk, but a smile.

"Okay, May. I'm really exhausted, so…I'm gonna head on home. See you tomorrow." Brendan bid, waving a hand goodbye at May. He walked towards his home and opened it with his spare key. May watched him do so before she went inside her own house.

This was going to be a long week if he would be there. She'd make the most of every passing second.


	9. Nine

**I Caught Myself**

**NINE**

May jumped excitedly out of her house. She went back to her spot atop the hill and waited for Brendan from underneath that same shady tree. It's not like they had any plans to meet that day, but May took her chances; and just as she thought, Brendan stepped out of their house and searched the area for any sign of people. He found May under the tree and crept closer to her, enjoying the fact that he was creeping like a Seviper.

When he was directly behind May, he swung her hands onto her shoulder and yelled. "HI MAY!"

May jumped in her seat. Brendan looked at her with an amused look glued to his face. May spun around in an instant and looked at Brendan with an eyebrow cocked up. Her bitter expression soon eased down into a softer look. "Morning, Brendan!"

"Good morning, May Maple." Brendan replied cheerfully. He plopped down next to May and began to admire the sight that she had been seeing for the past week.

"Where ya going today, Brendan?" May asked.

"Petalburg. I'm gonna go see Wally," Brendan answered. May stared at him with confusion. Brendan was able to get this.

"Wally Woods. He's my friend living in Petalburg. I'm helping him with his training, since he keeps screwing up," Brendan laughed.

May shrugged. "Mind if I come with you? I'd love to go see my dad,"

Brendan nodded his head. "Sure. I'd love some company along the way, but we'll be there all day."

May nodded. "It's okay. My mom doesn't mind if I disappear for the day, anyway. All she wants is that I'm back home by seven or she starts to go ballistic,"

Brendan chuckled and nodded in agreement. "You ready to go?"

"Right now?"

"Yep." Brendan nodded, standing up. He broke a thin stem of grass and put it in his mouth. "Lets go."

May nodded, asking for Brendan's hand as support. Brendan gladly offered his hand, and May took it. She stood up and stretched a little. Soon, they hit the road and were already on their way for Petalburg.


End file.
